Stuck in a Rut!
Why switching to an RV GPS Unit is the Best Move for Fulltime Travelers.
We can all enjoy the natural beauty of majestic mountains, towering trees, and gargantuan gorges while touring the country as fulltime RVers. We don’t however, enjoy being stuck in these beautiful, but sometimes dangerous, places with limited mobility and no room to maneuver due to unreliable directions from our GPS unit.
That’s why an RV GPS unit is so important for any fulltime traveler and this next story is the perfect example of why every RVer should consider one before their next trip into the wild!
Picture this…
After a long day, full of driving you make the executive decision to keep driving for another 30 minutes, until you reach your final destination, instead of following your gut and your travel plan of stopping before nightfall. It’s almost 8 pm, and the sky is darkening more and more each minute, while you’re relying on the trusted GPS to get you to your destination safely and in the shortest amount of time possible.
You see a sign showing your destination is just 8 miles up the road, but then your GPS says to make a right turn at the upcoming interaction. It’s never steered you wrong in the past, in fact, it always gives you the best directions possible and as a result, you’ve chosen to continue using this standard model instead of upgrading to the RV GPS unit. You make the right turn and continue for 4 miles, following the path, TOM has laid out for you. You continue to drive the route, when your co-pilot notices a sign up ahead that reads, “Right Lane Ends”- that’s weird because there’s only one right lane, and you’re driving in it.
Bad Turns To Terrible…
As the sign warned, the lane ended and you’re now on a one-lane road that just turned from pavement to gravel to plain old dirt in one minute flat. As your anxiety level increases, you’re co-pilot and backseat passengers are beyond worried and have now begun to make frightening comments about being wedged in between the enormous rock face to your right, and the death drop of a river bank on your left. You’ve just managed to calm everyone down when you notice another sign up ahead that reads, “5 Ton Limit”. As your tires come to a screeching halt, your day has just officially turned from good to bad and is teetering back and forth from being absolutely terrible, as you’re stuck starring at a makeshift bridge that will not officially hold the weight of your trailer and truck.
This example is a true story provided by a fellow camper in the Smokey Mountains. While it may be beneficial for campground staff to warn incoming guests about not being misled by other GPS suggestions, it’s not always possible to know what your GPS will try to navigate you through. Its only worry is getting you there faster even if that’s not the safest route to take.
Travelers who do not ask the appropriate questions, will not always receive the proper information. And since your safety is your responsibility, you should be diligent in being prepared with multiple sources of directions and a reliable RV GPS unit to start.
Because of this wrong turn, the misled RVer had to diligently back up down the tight, gravel mountain road. His wife walked behind their rig, using a flashlight to make sure he made no wrong moves. This 2-hour ordeal can happen to anyone when you don’t rely on RV-friendly navigation.
Upgrading to an RV GPS for Safety & Comfort
While most standard GPS units like TOM can be incredibly beneficial in getting you to your destination with ease, they can also cause mayhem when they decide to send you down a shortcut path. TOM is great at using satellite information to get you there, but where is there exactly?
Many RVers have had instances where they’ve needed to turn around on steep hills, got caught in someone’s driveway, or even found out their overnight camping spot is actually not a campground but a Boy Scout Camp. How about a quick drive through the parking lot of the Atlanta Airport, just to avoid the highway? You can easily start to see why an RV GPS unit is a priceless tool for RV navigation.
RV GPS units just like this one can be exactly what you need for your next RV road trip. Take some time to learn the RV GPS, setting it to your preferences and even testing out its capabilities.
Some of the best RV GPS features were:
- The ability to choose your rig type and specifications: You can easily program it to the exact weight, length, and height of your unit- which helps keeps you from going to low bridges and those that can’t hold your weight.
- Switching between car routes and RV routes: If you have the trailer hooked up, of course, you’ll want the RV-friendly route and would love to avoid dirt roads. But if you’re just touring around the city we opt for the car mode. Then you don’t have to avoid smaller roads that wouldn’t be comfortable with an RV in tow.
- Easy access to detailed information: With a push of one icon- you can easily see how high or low in elevation you are, what direction you are headed, what amenities are coming up on the next exit, and so much more. Without having to go through multiple screens, you can easily help make decisions with less time spent searching for the information you need.
Switching to the RV GPS is an essential tool for fulltime adventures. You’ll no longer be sitting on edge, hopping silently that TOM is showing the right way and that you won’t be sent on a hair-raising, wild ride. Although you’ll rely heavily on your new unit to guide you safely to your destination, it’s still a good idea to travel with a book of maps just in case service is no longer available.
But for all those camping adventures, road trip rallies, and overnight drives, an RV GPS unit is essential to getting you there safe and sound. So make the switch to an RV specific GPS unit before you catch yourself, Stuck in a Rut!
